Five Track Friday #7
And probably my last for a while
Happy Friday!
For my avid readers, you may have sorely missed my post from last week, don’t fret! It’s here today!
However it may be my last Five Track Friday for the time being. Sadly, these posts take a fair bit of time to write and it’s eating into time I’d like to spend DJing (to the insects in my bedroom) and producing (badly). Rather unfortunately, I do actually have a full time job so finding time to invest in my electronic passion is already few and far between already.
So I’m going to take a break from the weekly post for now. But this means I will have more time to write the more long form articles that I prefer to write. I’ve had a few ideas bouncing around my head recently which I want to put to paper so my posting will reduce in frequency for the time being.
But without further ado, let’s dig in.
Out And About
I was sent this Guardian article about the dying idea of the big and spotaneous nights out this week and it got me thinking about the state of the scene today. I feel that the journalist, Emine Saner, correctly points out that price is a big factor in the changing energy of the scene. Things are just way more expensive nowadays and this can be a bit turn-off when it comes to suggesting a night out. And Saner also notes the rise of the “day rave” and how people are prioritising sleep more which is definitely a pattern I’ve started noticing amongst my peer group.
However I feel there are certain factors that she missed that I also feel contribute to this fading idea.
Firstly, bang for buck.
Day raves aren’t only good for early bedtimes but they also tend to have pretty stacked lineups that often beat what clubs have to offer. I’m heading to Drumsheds next weekend for the HYDRA X BICEP event and there are 23 DJs playing that day. I only paid around £45 for my ticket and it gives me a whole selection of acts that I can go and see. However, on that same night, the Confidence Man DJs are playing at Phonox for around £25 but only for 3 DJs. True, they’re completely different events so it’s not the best comparison to compare them like for like. But if you’re trying to convince less frequent “big-night-out-friends” of yours to come with you, which seems like the better offer? 23 DJs for £45 and bedtime by midnight? Or 3 DJs for £25 and a potential 6am bedtime?
Secondly, and I think this is one of the biggest factors affecting the dying idea of a big night out, is renting.
Your biggest night out lovers in a given city will be those aged 22-30 and they’re also the most likely to be renting in that city. And with rents ever increasing to the eye watering levels that they currently are in London, it’s becoming ever and ever harder to find a good rental flat. Not only does it impact your spending money for a given month, but high rents also tend to push people further and further out of the city. This, in turn, increases the likelihood that friendship groups will be living further and further away from each other, which increases the necessary investment into spending time as a group. It’s no longer a simple task to hit up the local pub, you now have to factor in a 45 minute journey and when the last train runs. And why would you scupper your meticulous plans with a spontaneous night out?
I think this is why areas of London like Hackney and Clapham are so popular, as rents in those areas tend to be pretty steady across the entire borough so it ever so slightly increases the chances that you can live within a walkable distance of your friends. Shame that’s changing though with my recent browsing of Hackney flats returning an average of £1200 a room. Also they both have nightlifes even if Clapham’s is limited to Infernos and Cafe Sol (ew).
Anyhow, I think it’s a tough one. On the one hand I’m loving the rise of the day rave and day clubs as I do appreciate a good night’s sleep. But on the other hand it’s sad to see the slow demise of the grassroots venue and the spontaneous night out. It’s a classic adage that “the spontaneous nights out are the best nights out” and I do hope that we build local communities again one day that can enable this.
Let’s dive into the music.
Five Tracks
Going through the acts for next week’s Hydra event at Drumsheds, I came across Icemorph’s We Got This which is a delightfully dreamy breakbeat track. It’s released on Bandcamp under the ever mysterious CloudCore label who only allow (reasonably priced) purchases for a week before locking it behind a £999 payment. I’ve joined the Discord server and I’m intrigued to see what else comes out from them…
Next up is Joe Goddard and Laima’s Rapid Fire which is heavy house beat. This one popped up in my Release Radar Spotify playlist last week and I love how energetic it is.
Lawrence Harts’s NoMoreLuv4U comes in third this week with its ethereal chords and garage-y wubby bassline. I find that this style of crisp, clean, and fast house music to be very popular nowadays and Lawrence Hart is a pioneer in the style.
This next one is for the nu-disco / disco house lovers and it’s the club mix of Golden Boy by Lifelike. Gorgeous disco beats on a classic house track, what’s not to love with this. The slow rise into the drop is a real hands in the air moment.
Finally, we have Lucky Star by LUXE (who is also playing Drumsheds next week). A fast but light techno track, you can hear the acid influences in the riffs in this one. Intriguing and addictive.
Bonus Content
I’ve got some great bonus content for you readers this week. I came across Silkybeatz on Tiktok recently where he had posted a clip of this short documentary he produced about the state of the dance music scene at the moment and the issues that are plaguing it. I love his discussion with Kiku about the state of phones on the dancefloor and the role social media has on promoting events.
Until Next Time
Well, until next time. I’m not sure I’ll do weekly posts again for the time being. It really does eat into my week but I did enjoy doing them. As I said earlier I much prefer writing the long form over the short as I feel I can spend much more time researching the topics and getting really into it.
I hope you enjoyed the recommendations I shared and I will definitely be sharing more in the future.
Until next time.